Method and means to indicate the theft of automobiles and the like



April 21, 1925'. D 1,534,994

' O. L, SCROGGINS METHOD AND MEANS TO INDICATE THE THEFT OF AUTOMOBTLES AND THE LIKE Filed June A5, 1924 Patented Apr. 2l, 1925.

UNITED-STATES F F l OLIVER L. SCROGGINS, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

I METHOD AND MEANS TO INDICATE THE THEFT 0F AUTOIVIOBILES AND THE LIKE.

` Application led June 5, 1924. Serial No. 717,988.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it knownthat I, OLIVER L. SoRoGeINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Means to Indicate the Theft yof utomobiles and the like, of which the following is a specification.

` This invention relates to methods and means to prevent the unlawful use, or theft, of automobiles vor other vehicles.

One of the main objects of this invention is to provide a simple precautionary method for the protection of automobiles against theft or unlawful use. Another object is to provide a tell-tale device which is simple in operation and which can be applied to all types of self propelled, or other kinds of, vehicles which are required by law to carry so-called license-plates. Additional features and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application and in which:

Fig. `l is a partial side elevation of an automobile truck provided with my tell-tale device.

Fig. 2 is a fractional end view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View showing the front elevation of a double license-plate used in my system of theft protection and applied preferably at the rear of an automobile.

Fig. 4 is aside view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is also a side View of Fig. 3, showing the upper license-plate turned backwards to render it invisible from the rear of the automobile.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged front elevation of a modified arrangement for the double licenseplate.

Fig. 7 is an end view of Fig. 6. v

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the modified construction showing the upper license-plate folded backwards.

Fig. 9 is an end-view of Fig. 8.

In my system to indicate, or prevent, the unlawful use or theft of a Vehicle, the prin* cipal idea is to use, preferably at the rear of said vehicle, two license-plates bearing identical license-numbers and to provide means whereby one of said plates may be hidden, thus exposing but one plate to the public, which condition is used as an indication that the vehicle is not used'by the lawful owner or driver.

Referring to Figs. l to 5 inclusive., two license-plates l and?. are secured by means ofl screws 3, upon their respective base-plates 4 and 5r placed preferably one above the other, as shown in the drawing. The lower base-plate 5 is fastened permanently by means of bolts or rivets 6 to the brackets 7 and 8, which in turn are secured to the frame 9 at the rear of the vehicle l0 byA means of the rivets ll. The upper base-plate 4 is secured to the lower base-plate 5 by means of the hinges 12 which permit the upper baseplate, and its license-plate, to be folded baclc wards so as to be invisible to the public looking toward the rear end of the vehicle.

'l/V hen the vehicle is being driven, it is intended that both license-plates be exposed. In order to maintain the upper license-plate in its running, or vertical, position, registering apertures 13 are provided respectively in the upper right hand corner of the baseplate 4 and in the bracket 7, and through these apertures a padlock 14, of any suitable type, is inserted. The latter is preferably supported in a horizontal position by means of a spring-clamp 15 secured to a short horizontal support 16 riveted, or otherwise secured, to the bracket 7.

Then the vehicle is not to be run for a reasonable time, as may occur when it is left standing in the road while the driver has to absent himself to attend to other business, the upper license plate is folded intothe invisible position and is locked therein by inserting the padlock 14 through the apertures 17 and 18 which are so disposed in the baseplates as to register when the upper plate is folded down, as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 5.

Any person intending to run the vehicle in the absence of the owner or driver, and with the upper license-plate in folded position, would immediately attract the attention and suspicion of the constabulary or the public which, it is intended, shall be previously educated to this system of protection against theft of automobiles.

The 'modified construction illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 differs from the one described above in that the upper base-plate 19 is secured to the lower base-plate 2O by means of hinges 21 reaching up into the upper base-plate, so that when the latter is folded backwards a portion of the reverse side of the upper base-plate Will appear above the lower base-plate. Any suitable ynotice 22, such as the one shown in Fig. may be placed on this extension to give to the constabulary and t-he public the necessary Warning.

As will b e noted, thelovver portion ofthe right and left hand lsides ofthe upper baseplate must be cut away a sufficient amount so as not to interfere withv the brackets 7 and 8 when said base-plate is folded Vbackwards. Also, the aperatures 17 andl 18, shown ,in Fig. 3, may be dispensed with by providing in the bracket-7` and-the llower base-plate 20 a suitably disposed aperture 23 through which thepadlock may be inserted to hold the upper base-plate in its folded position;

All parts in this modified construction i which have not undergone any changes Ahave been marked with the saine `identiticati@,n

numbers y as` used theconstructioii irst. de,-v

scribed.

The principal advantageof themodiiied constructionv isthat itenables to placeupon the reverse side of the` upper base-plateany desired Warning which will be readily understood by everybody vf'ithout prior educa" tion astothe operationE of mytheft preventing system;

Referring to the foregoingthe operatipn of my system .will be readily understood Without furtherdetailed description suffices to say that, when` the vehicle is running, both license-plates are to be visible` andthat when leavingthe vehicle for some time, the driverlowers the upper license-plate, there? by indicating to the public that. the vehicle is not run rightfully.

As will be understood, as.-suggested.Y herein, there may bev slight changesmadein the construction andV arrangement of the details of my invention Without departingfromthe lieldand scope of the same, andI intendto include all such variations, as fall. yvvithin the scope of the appended claims, in this application in which the preferred forms only ofiiiyfinventionhave b'eendisclosed. i

l. In a device adapted to indicate the theft of a vehicle, the combination of a pair of license-plates vmounted rearwardly 4of said vehicle and bearing identical license/numbers; common supports for the said licenseplates; one of said plates being permanently secured to said supports andthe other plate being hingedly connectedto saidv statipnary license-plate in, ainanner to permitv a part of the reverse sidefof said1 hinged yplatel `telextend above said Stationary plate lwhen in foldediposition; a padlock to securesaid hinged `plate inu folded position; means to supportsaid` padlock` `in hori'zontal position and adapted to prevent t-he'rattling there# of, and al warning notice positionecwlfon .the

reverse side of said hinged plate extending above said stationary license-plate- 2. In ya device adapted to indicate the theftof a vehicle, theV combinationV of. a pair of license-plates mounted" rearwardly of. said vehicle. andV bearing identical license-nume bers; Vc ommon supports for` said license plates; one of said platesbeing permaliently secured to. said supports andthe other plate being hingedly connected to said stationary license-plate in avnian'ner to permit a partiof the .reverse side of said hinged plate toen-` tend above said, stationary plate, Whenin folded position; a padlpck to secure.said` hinged; plateinl folded position: `means toI support sai-d padlock in horizontal position;`

resilient means mounted upon said last named support and adapted to prevent'fthe rattling of said padlock, and a Warningnol tice positioned on the reverse side/ offsaid hinged` plate extending aliove said stationary license-plate. i

I nrtestimony whereof, .I afiixwlny signature. oLrvEn L.A soRoGGiNs. 

